Memic et al: Kill All of Them!

The former member of “Zulfikar” Squad testified under the pseudonym of R. He said that, after member of his unit Samir Semsovic, known as Samko, had been wounded, he moved through Trusina village, along with his comrades and Croat civilians, adding that they stopped in front of one house.

As he said, upon his arrival, he saw a few members of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO and civilians, who were lined against the house wall. The witness explained that he and indictee Dzevad Salcin were standing aside with women and children, when Hodzic, whom he called Johnny in the courtroom, ordered the shooting.

“Johnny was there all the time. He gave the order to kill those people. His order was: ‘We shall kill all these people. Samko has probably died’. He asked me to come, but I did not want to do it. As far as I can remember, Menta, Zolja, Edin Dzeko and Johnny shot at those people,” protected witness R said.

Mensur Memic, known as Menta, Dzevad Salcin, known as Struja, Nedzad Hodzic, known as John Wayne, Nihad Bojadzic and Zulfikar Alispago, former members of “Zulfikar” Squad with the Main Command Headquarters of ABiH, are on trial for the murder of soldiers and civilians in Trusina on April 16, 1993. Senad Hakalovic, former member of “Neretvica” 45th Brigade, is charged under the same indictment.

According to the charges, Hodzic issued the order and participated in the shooting of HVO members, who were lined up after having surrendered.

Rasema Handanovic, known as Zolja, former member of the Squad, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison after having admitted guilt for crimes in Trusina. An investigation against Edin Dzeko, another former member of that Squad, is still underway.

The witness said that, prior to the attack on Trusina, a group of “Zulfikar” Squad members, arrived in Parsovici village, near Trusina. As he said, indictee Bojadzic lined the soldiers and told them that “Samko would lead the soldiers during the attack”.

“After Samko had been wounded, Johnny took over the command,” the witness said.

The indictment alleges that Bojadzic, Deputy Commander of Alispago, commanded the attack on Trusina village via walkie-talkie from a nearby hill. Alispago is charged with having failed to undertake the necessary actions in order to punish his subordinates, who participated in the shooting.

Trial Chamber Chairwoman Zeljka Marenic said that the protected witness informed the Court that he had received several threats over the phone in the past 20 days, but he deleted the number. The public was not allowed to attend the part of the hearing at which the threats and additional protective measures for the witness were discussed.

Once the public was allowed to come back to the courtroom, the Defence of Bojadzic requested the Trial Chamber to order an investigation that would fully solve the allegations about the threats. As an additional protective measure for the witness, a folding screen was pulled down in order to prevent the audience from seeing him.

The Defence of Bojadzic and Alispago are due to examine protected witness R at the next hearing on June 15.